MARKET DEVELOPMENT
Young Felda Settlers Urged To Attend Mechanised Operator Course
Young Felda Settlers Urged To Attend Mechanised Operator Course
10/09/2014 (Bernama) - The second and third generations of Felda settlers should attend a mechanised operator course (KOML) to help improve their skills, Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Noriah Kasnon said.
She said this would enable the oil palm plantation sector to continue to contribute to the economic development while reducing dependence on foreign workers.
Noriah said until June this year, Malaysia faced 30,865 workers' shortage in the oil palm plantation sector as it needs 666,075 workers or an average of one worker to every eight hectares of the plantation.
Ironically, 345,463 workers or 78.13 per cent of the 442,175 oil palm plantation workers are foreigners, she told reporters at the presentation of certificates from the Institute of Malaysian Plantation and Commodities (IMPAC) to 159 trainees at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) Keratong, here Tuesday.
Noriah said KOML, introduced by the MPOB through the Malaysian Palm Training Centre (Plasma) enable trainees to optimise their skills, especially in the use of farm machinery, thus reducing dependence on foreign labour.
She said the efforts should be complemented by the private sector by recruiting well-trained KOML trainees.
MPOB chairman Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad said the knowledge acquired by the trainees on the use of mechanisation from land preparation to harvesting fresh fruit bunches could help improve oil palm plantation efficiency and productivity.
She said this would enable the oil palm plantation sector to continue to contribute to the economic development while reducing dependence on foreign workers.
Noriah said until June this year, Malaysia faced 30,865 workers' shortage in the oil palm plantation sector as it needs 666,075 workers or an average of one worker to every eight hectares of the plantation.
Ironically, 345,463 workers or 78.13 per cent of the 442,175 oil palm plantation workers are foreigners, she told reporters at the presentation of certificates from the Institute of Malaysian Plantation and Commodities (IMPAC) to 159 trainees at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) Keratong, here Tuesday.
Noriah said KOML, introduced by the MPOB through the Malaysian Palm Training Centre (Plasma) enable trainees to optimise their skills, especially in the use of farm machinery, thus reducing dependence on foreign labour.
She said the efforts should be complemented by the private sector by recruiting well-trained KOML trainees.
MPOB chairman Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad said the knowledge acquired by the trainees on the use of mechanisation from land preparation to harvesting fresh fruit bunches could help improve oil palm plantation efficiency and productivity.